Underexposed pictures on aperture priority mode


pigskin85

New Member
Apr 3, 2011
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Singapore
Hi Guys

Able to advise why the pictures are underexposed on aperture priority mode?

i've attached some picture for your reference. Btw, i'm using matrix metering mode..

Need your kind advice..

Thanks! ;)

2im056u.jpg


152patg.jpg
 

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Can you post the actual picture here rather than screenshots of your desktop? Or at least post the EXIF info so we can help you better.
 

where is your EXIF info?

you sure you never -EV compensation?

Also please read up on how metering works
 

Hi All

Sorry for the missing information.


UE1 by pigskin85_2, on Flickr

The exif info is here http://www.flickr.com/photos/62891589@N04/5728525965/meta/in/photostream


UE2 by pigskin85_2, on Flickr

the exif info is here http://www.flickr.com/photos/62891589@N04/5728530627/meta/in/photostream

Pls let me know if anything is still missing..

Thanks alot!! Will read up on the metering modes.

not sure if this is related to metering modes?

pls advise...
 

Metering is the starting point to define the exposure settings. So if your pics look underexposed then looking at the metering results is one point to start with.
Comparing with Sunny16 rule I'd say your camera indeed uses wrong settings. Are all pictures like that? Are these your very first pictures? Are there any pictures that came out as expected? The second picture has no distinctive bright or dark areas that would pose any problem to Matrix Metering.
 

Not the first few picutres, these pictures came out underexposed halfway during phototaking. After that, most of the picture came out underexposed. below is another sample of underexpose and correct expose picture. Not sure if i'm taking the photos under the shade hence causing the picture to underexposed? Even sunny light also the same.

Able to advise what kind of settings is wrong? Will read up on Sunny16 rule!! Thanks!!


UE4 by pigskin85_2, on Flickr

exif info is here => http://www.flickr.com/photos/62891589@N04/5729176496/meta/in/photostream


CE by pigskin85_2, on Flickr

exif info is here => http://www.flickr.com/photos/62891589@N04/5728619651/meta/in/photostream
 

one possibility is you when shoot these, lights also enter thru the viewfinder and fool the camera meter.

But if i'm using hood, will this happen as well?

Hi guys, i really appreciate your help.. ;)
 

But if i'm using hood, will this happen as well?

Hi guys, i really appreciate your help.. ;)
lens hood or lcd hood?

when camera is on fully auto mode, AV, TV or P mode, camera will make exposure according to the camera meter suggestion.

if you didn't look thru the viewfinder, or the viewfinder didn't cover upped, during making the exposure, light will enter thru viewfinder and affect the meter reading.


another possibility is sticky aperture blades or faulty aperture level, but consider the camera is rather recent, unlike to happen unless the camera is poorly maintain.
 

catchlights said:
lens hood or lcd hood?

when camera is on fully auto mode, AV, TV or P mode, camera will make exposure according to the camera meter suggestion.

if you didn't look thru the viewfinder, or the viewfinder didn't cover upped, during making the exposure, light will enter thru viewfinder and affect the meter reading.

another possibility is sticky aperture blades or faulty aperture level, but consider the camera is rather recent, unlike to happen unless the camera is poorly maintain.

I meant Lens hood.. (Sorry, i misunderstood your sentence, hence replying that i'm using lens hood)

I'm using viewfinder to take photos, don't think stray lights will enter from there..

Not sure if this is related to the sigma 30mm f1.4 lens I bought recently?

I'm confuse.. Will do more field test and monitor if this happen again.. Really thanks alot for your help.. ;)
 

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Not the first few picutres, these pictures came out underexposed halfway during phototaking. After that, most of the picture came out underexposed. below is another sample of underexpose and correct expose picture. Not sure if i'm taking the photos under the shade hence causing the picture to underexposed?
As mentioned by catchlights: in any of the half-automatic modes the camera will adjust the other settings to get correct exposure. in Av mode, you define Aperture and ISO (best to fix it, don't let it in Auto ISO), the camera will adjust the shutter speed. Doesn't matter where you are (under shade, umbrella..), as long as no additional light enters the viewfinder. But that's rather a topic for night.
If the problem occurred halfway through a shooting and there are no other factors changed then it could a camera issue. First, go through menu and use "Reset to factory settings". Check again with some test images (nice weather right now, you can compare with Sunny16 :) ). If problem still exists then bring the cam to Canon Service Center.
 

Not sure if this is related to the sigma 30mm f1.4 lens I bought recently?
Use your Canon kit lens, set to 30mm, similar aperture, take the same image. Compare and let us now the result.
 

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I meant Lens hood.. (Sorry, i misunderstood your sentence, hence replying that i'm using lens hood)

I'm using viewfinder to take photos, don't think stray lights will enter from there..

Not sure if this is related to the sigma 30mm f1.4 lens I bought recently?

I'm confuse.. Will do more field test and monitor if this happen again.. Really thanks alot for your help.. ;)

Did you buy the sigma 30/1.4 second hand?

I know that older batches of sigma lenses will underexpose in evaluative (matrix) metering mode with new camera bodies. Usually these lenses need to be re-chipped to make them meter ok with the new camera bodies.
 

Is your AEL on? Did you focus on a bright/correctly exposed area then change to a darker one?
 

daredevil123 said:
Did you buy the sigma 30/1.4 second hand?

I know that older batches of sigma lenses will underexpose in evaluative (matrix) metering mode with new camera bodies. Usually these lenses need to be re-chipped to make them meter ok with the new camera bodies.

Oh.. I bought this lens a week ago. It's a new lens. Might be a old batch lens? This could be the reason since I'm using canon 550d(consider quite new body)

Will do more field test on matrix metering and will send to sigma service center if needed.. Thanks!!!! ;)
 

foxtwo said:
Is your AEL on? Did you focus on a bright/correctly exposed area then change to a darker one?

Ya.. I do that too.. I focus on subject and re-compose the picture.. I tried focus on dark area and change to brighter side.. and vice versa
 

was it on bright sunny day? because if it is, it might just be the metering gets "fooled" by the bright sky and the bright reflection on the water surface.. i notice that the sky in the first two pics are about half (if not slightly more) than the land, and the sky is quite dark (compared to the last pic) and the third one there are vast amount of water body that may reflect a lot of light and fool the meter.. i also notice that the last picture has blown up sky but somewhat correctly exposed bottom(sounds wrong, eh?)/foreground.. and that the foreground takes up two thirds of the pic..
If iirc, matrix metering takes reading from different segments of the scene, and if there are more bright areas, the tendency to expose for that bright area will be more than to expose the whole scene correctly..

i don't know, might be wrong, i'm noob..
 

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Ya.. I do that too.. I focus on subject and re-compose the picture.. I tried focus on dark area and change to brighter side.. and vice versa

As suggested, reset to camera factory default and use the kit lens with P mode. If ok use A mode. still shoot with kit lens. That will decide your camera with kit is ok? Then try same with the sigma in place of kit lens.